Photo: iStockphoto
Dear Parent,
So your child has just been diagnosed with a condition that will affect them in the long term, if not for the rest of their life. Odds are you?re feeling anxious and overwhelmed as you try to get a handle on what this means. You?re likely worried the years ahead will not be easy.
I?m writing to you as the parent of four children who were diagnosed with a variety of mental health, neurodevelopmental and behavioural challenges when they were younger. The good news: After we got their diagnoses and started treatment, things got better?for each child and for the family as a whole.
While every post-diagnosis journey is unique, I can pretty much guarantee that, while the road ahead will have detours, blind corners and bumps, there will also be precious moments when you can coast for a while. I hope this roadmap of sorts will help you start to find your way. First of all, a diagnosis doesn?t define your child. It?s just a snapshot. In no way does it capture all the unique and wonderful things you?ve come to know and love about him. Nor does it limit him or predict how his life will play out.
That said, a diagnosis does represent a way forward. Knowing what condition you?re dealing with allows you to zero in on the parenting strategies and supports that bring out the best in your child. I learned, for example, that calming myself was the essential first step in calming a child who was spinning like an ADHD-powered top.
A diagnosis also allows you to...